Pattern electroretinography and visual evoked potentials in optic nerve diseases.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate transient pattern electroretinography (PERG) and pattern visual evoked potential (VEP) for the diagnosis, differential diagnosis and follow-up of optic nerve diseases. METHODS: Twenty-nine consecutive patients (14 female, 15 male) with the diagnosis of ischaemic optic neuropathy (n=14) and optic neuritis (n=15) were included in this study. Mean age of the patients with ischaemic optic neuropathy was 63.3+/-3.3 (60-78) years and the mean age of the patients with optic neuritis was 28.3+/-8.4 (19-43) years. In each patient ophthalmological examination and systemic evaluation were done and VEP and PERG were recorded. As a control group, VEP recordings of 35 healthy subjects were included. RESULTS: In the ischaemic optic neuropathy group (group 1), mean VEP amplitude (+/-SD) (1.96+/-0.95 microV) was found to be decreased significantly in the affected eyes in comparison to the control group and the unaffected eyes. The delay in latency (116.3+/-20.14 msec in the affected eyes compared with 101.31+/-6.19 msec in unaffected eyes) was statistically significant when compared with the healthy subjects. In the optic neuritis group (group 2), VEP amplitude was decreased (4.13+/-4.04 microV vs 6.97+/-3.35 microV and 6.97+/-4.43 microV) and latency was increased (122.59+/-20.09 msec vs 101.31+/-6.19 msec and 108.76+/-13.57 msec) in affected eyes significantly in comparison to the unaffected eyes and control group, respectively. Even though there were no significant differences for P50 latency and N95/P50 ratios between affected and unaffected eyes in both groups, N95 amplitude decreased significantly in the affected eyes of the ischaemic optic neuropathy patients and N95 latency was found to be decreased in optic neuritis patients. There was no correlation between VEP and PERG findings in both groups. CONCLUSION: VEP amplitude decreased significantly in ischaemic optic neuropathies while latency delay was more significant in patients with optic neuritis. PERG findings showed decreased N95 amplitude in ischemic optic neuropathy without associated latency changes.     

Effect of melatonin in the prevention of post-operative adhesion formation in a rat uterine horn adhesion model

BACKGROUND: Our main aim was to investigate the effects of melatonin (ME), possibly the most powerful free-radical scavenger, on the prevention of i.p. adhesion formation in rat uterine horn. Our secondary aim was to determine whether different methods of administration of ME were beneficial. METHODS: Animals were randomly assigned into seven groups, each consisting of 13 rats. Measured serosal injury was created using a standard technique. While control and two sham groups were not given ME, two of the remaining four groups were given a single dose of 10 mg/kg (2 mg) of ME i.p. immediately after injury and 30 min prior to injury respectively. In the two other groups, ME treatment was continued daily for 5 days. All animals were killed 2 weeks after surgery and adhesions were determined and scored by a examiner blinded to the test. RESULTS: The extent, severity and total scores of adhesion were found to be significantly reduced in all of the ME treatment groups when compared with control and sham groups. There were no statistically significant differences between the treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that even single dose ME therapy was effective in the prevention of post- operative i.p. adhesion formation.     

Neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN): a new tool in the diagnosis of central neurocytoma

The use of neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) as a reliable neuronal marker in the differential diagnosis of clear cell neoplasms of the central nervous system was determined in a biopsy series of 23 cases. Immunohistochemical analyses were carried out by antisera against neuronal nuclear antigen, synaptophysin, neuron-specific enolase, microtubule-associated protein 2, and glial fibrillary acidic protein. All eight central neurocytomas were characteristically immunolabeled by NeuN. NeuN immunoreactivity was uniformly strong and basically located in the nuclei of neurocytes. Despite this uniform staining pattern of central neurocytomas, 12 cases of oligodendrogliomas and three cases of ependymoma were negative for NeuN. As the diagnostic criteria for central neurocytoma include immunohistochemical and/or ultrastructural evidence for neuronal differentiation, NeuN as a sensitive and specific neuronal marker in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues may greatly facilitate the differential diagnosis of central neurocytomas.     

Role of insulin like growth factor-I in repair response in immature cartilage

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exogenous local Insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on the repair of full-thickness articular cartilage defects in immature rabbits. DESIGN: Thirty-six skeletally immature New Zealand rabbits between 6 and 8 weeks old were used. A single defect, 3.5-mm-wide by 4-mm-deep full-thickness articular cartilage defect in the medial femoral condyle, was created. The defect was either filled with a collagen sponge or with a collagen sponge impregnated with 5 mug of recombinant IGF-I. The animals were sacrificed at 4, 8 or 12 weeks, and the repair tissue was examined macroscopically and histologically. Repair tissue was also examined immunohistochemically for the presence of type-I collagen, type-II collagen and PCNA at all weeks. RESULTS: Newly formed tissue in all of the defects in the IGF-I group had the gross, histological and histochemical appearance of a smooth, intact hyaline articular cartilage. The average total scores on the histological grading scale were significantly better (p<0.05) for the defects treated with recombinant IGF-I at all time points. Immunostaining with an antibody against type-II collagen showed the diffuse presence of the repair cartilage in the IGF-I treated defects. The control groups demonstrated minimum staining with type-II collagen antibody. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that repair of full-thickness immature cartilage defects can be enhanced by recombinant IGF-I.     

经瞳孔温热疗法治疗老年黄斑变性所致黄斑中心凹下脉络膜新生血管的长期观察

目的:评价经瞳孔温热疗法(TTT)治疗年龄相关性黄斑变性(AMD)所致黄斑中心凹下脉络膜新生血管(CNV)的长期疗效。方法:AMD所致黄斑中心凹下脉络膜新生血管14例14眼。平均年龄67.1岁。记录详尽的眼科检查结果,拍摄彩色眼底相,并行黄斑部光学相干断层成像(OCT)检查。在初诊及随后的复诊中行眼底荧光素血管造影和吲哚青绿血管造影。TTT的治疗参数为:时间1min,光斑大小2 ~3mm,激光能量650 ~800mW。随诊时间5 ~64mo,平均28.6mo。结果:在14眼中,典型性CNV有10眼,典型为主性有2眼,1眼为少量典型性,1型隐匿性CNV有1眼。共4例患者出现治疗后出血,均在短期内吸收。有1眼在治疗后立刻出现了黄斑无灌注区。多数患眼在随诊中可见渗出逐渐减少。在平均28.6mo的随诊中,14只患眼,有5眼视力提高,8眼保持稳定,1眼视力下降。结论:经瞳孔温热疗法在AMD患者中能封闭黄斑中心凹下的CNV,促进网膜下积液的迅速吸收,从而稳定患者的视力。它可以作为一种治疗典型和典型为主性黄斑中心凹下脉络膜新生血管的激光治疗手段。     

Sequence analysis of rpoB mutations in rifampin-resistant clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Turkey

Drug-resistant tuberculosis is a serious problem throughout the world. Resistance to Rifampicin (RIF) is mainly caused by the mutations in the rpoB gene coding the beta-subunit of RNA polymerase. In this study, we aimed to detect the distribution of rpoB gene mutations in 80 RIF-resistant clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) isolates from Turkey. The rpoB gene was amplified by PCR and mutations leading to RIF resistance were determined by automated sequence analysis. A total of 72 of the 80 isolates (90%) were found to carry mutations in the amplified region, whereas eight isolates (10%) carried no mutations. Overall, 24 different missense mutations affecting 14 codons, and two deletion mutants were identified. Nine new mutations, six in the hot-spot region and three outside this region, were found. The codon numbers of the most frequently encountered mutations were 531 (51.4%), 526 (18.1%), 516 (13.9%), and 513 (12.5%). As a result, 90% of the RIF-resistant MTB isolates from the Turkish patients were found to carry a mutation in the rpoB gene, Ser531Leu being the most frequent one. Although molecular methods identify mutations leading to RIF resistance very quickly, results of the antimycobacterial susceptibility tests must be taken into consideration for the patients carrying no mutations in this region.     

Serum lipid levels in psoriasis

A predisposition to occlusive vascular diseases has been reported in patients with psoriasis and it has been suggested that some of these patients have some disorders of lipid metabolism. In this study, serum lipid levels were investigated in psoriatic patients to explore to the knowledge of this relationship. One hundred psoriatic patients and 100 non- psoriatic controls were included in the study. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol), and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-cholesterol) levels were measured. In patients with psoriasis, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels were found to be significantly higher than those of controls. No significant differences were found in the other parameters. We concluded that psoriatic patients should be evaluated and followed up for the risk of hyperlipidemia and obstructive vascular diseases.